Another exciting episode of Amazing Race Canada this evening as the teams race off from Drumheller for the Great White North on the fourth leg of their journey across our amazing country. Of course before they do that they have to find their way back to the Calgary airport. Not the most difficult thing to do since they landed there at the start of the last leg but we've seen teams go astray before.
Having arrived first to the Pit Stop, Hal and Joanne of "Team Body Break" are on the road again, followed closely by the "Hippies" Darren and Kristen and the "Biceps Bros" Jet and Dave. For some reason they have only $1 on their Interac Debit Card for this leg of the race, but I don't recall anyone actually using it.
As I said earlier, getting back to the airport was easy enough for everyone but when Vanessa and Celina saw the length of the line they pulled the "pretty girls" routine to cut to the front and guarantee their place on the flight. A nice bit of maneuvering that would only work in Canada and it did, causing a little disturbance in the force of the other teams but it proved to be unnecessary as all teams ended up on the same flight, including the "Tims". Everyone seemed pretty surprised to see them so it's assumed that teams don't see a lot of each other between legs. That or the producers sequestered the "Tims" away to add some surprise.
Onwards and upwards the teams fly off to Edmonton, my home stomping grounds and a great place for beer and wings with my buddy Wayne. A quick stop and then on to Yellowknife, located on the northern shore of Great Slave Lake a mere 400 km south of the Arctic Circle in the Northwest Territories. This is a great place to watch the northern lights but there's no task for that.
Arriving together in Yellowknife the teams race out to locate the Bush Pilot Memorial where they find their next clue. Teams need to make their way to the Government Docks on Great Slave Lake and as is often the case the teams dart off without actually taking the time to figure out where they're going. The "Doctors" continue to play a thinking game and realize exactly where they need to be and are first to the Roadblock.
Today's Roadblock is brought to us by the letters "b" and "r" for "brrrrrrr", a refreshing Polar Bear Dip in the ice cold waters of Great Slave Lake where teams can retrieve their next clue. Holly looked good in her bright red bathing suit as she shivered across the ice looking anything but hot, despite Brett's comment, but she was in and out of that water in no time and Brett was ready with the towel. That's a good husband.
Cory and Jody got there next and Cory was so quick in and out of that water that he forgot something. The clue! Back in the water he went for a second time, but this time he grabbed the clue and he was out of there, followed closely by Hal who looked a little nervous about the water temperature but in true Body Break fashion just went for it.
Meanwhile, while Dave was waiting for Hal to finish, Tim Jr slipped around him and jockeyed himself up to the edge. Tim was almost in the water before Dave even realized he'd gone by and as soon as he started to complain the crowd began to boo. I'm not sure if they were booing Tim Jr for sneaking past or Dave for whining about it. Personally, boo hoo, get in line dude. Tim was roped and ready while Dave was standing around and I think he should of just jumped in, grabbed the clue and moved on . . . But, we're Canadians and we wouldn't want to upset anyone so Tim backed off and let Dave go. Did someone fail to mention to Dave that this is a race?
Once teams completed the Roadblock they had to head back to a hangar at the airport and sign up for one of three flights. What is it with teams not paying attention? There are three flights and since you are in a race you want to be on the first one. Missed that, get on the next one. It's not rocket science. The "Doctors" and the "Bicep Bros" sign up for flight number one. No brainer. The "Tims" get there and sign up for flight number two, but for some reason Cory and Jody sign up for the last flight. Sure it's a mistake but this goes right along with Rule Number One of Amazing Race: Read the Clue. In this case, Read the Sign. That little mistake opened the door for Hal and Joanne to slip in on the second flight.
Obviously they knew that Cory and Jody had screwed up but it's those little mistakes that can make the difference in getting to the next leg or going home. When Cory made the decision to ask Hal and Joanne if they'd switch places because they had told them where the board was and were obviously there first, I'm glad Hal said "no". I'm sorry, I've moved my King into checkmate without thinking, can I take that turn over? No.
That mistake put Cory and Jody on the last flight with the "Hippies" and the "Sisters". The two teams who had the Express Pass. things did not look well for Cory and Jody as the teams all made their way by twin engine bush plane to Carcross,Yukon, a gold mining town where they had to locate an old steam engine, The Duchess, and find their next clue . . . a Detour.
This Detour gave teams the choice of a Yukon "Supply Run" where they had to build a raft using barrels, wood and rope, then launch and load the raft with provisions before paddling out to get their next clue; or "Gold Rush" where they had to perform three Yukon tasks, sawing a log, throwing an axe at the log end you sawed off, and performing a blindfolded wheelbarrow obstacle course to gather gold nuggets. Why blindfolded? Because that's what they did in the Yukon I guess. Probably not but it was fun watching the way different teams rode the wheelbarrow.
Not entirely sure why the "Doctors" thought building a raft would be easier but that was the way they went and right away Holly started complaining about Brett's choice of Detour. For two Doctors they don't seem to perform well under pressure. Jet and Dave weren't exactly having it any easier on the other side of that Detour. Sure they could saw that log off in no time, and Dave hit the log with the axe in one throw, but despite having the arms of the Hulk, Jet couldn't hit the broadside of an iceberg for some reason. Eventually he manages to hit the log and they move on to quickly complete the third task and receive their next clue.
While the other teams are busy with the Detour the "Tims" have a little trouble with their SpeedBump. They have to memorize part of the poem "The Shooting of Dan McGrew" by Robert Service that they find in an old typewriter and then recite it to an actor portraying Robert Service drinking with his friends. Tim Sr had no problem with it but Jr kept messing up. He'd get a little further each time but apparently memorization is not his strong point. Add to that the pressure of the race and cameramen and I'm surprised he got it as quickly as he did. Probably some good editing there. SpeedBump out of the way they were back to the Detour and behind Hal and Joanne.
As the last flight arrives Jet and Dave are the first to the ATVs to drive across the Carcross Desert and first to the mat for this leg's Pit Stop, followed by Brett and Holly. Hal and Joanne have slipped back to third but there's nothing wrong with that. The "Sisters" use the Express Pass to avoid the Detour and this gives them a leg up on the others allowing them to get to the mat before the "Tims", however they dropped their bags out of sight of Jon and he tells them he needs to see those bags before checking them in. It was close and a fine bit of editing but they still manged to find their bags and get back to the mat mere seconds before the "Tims" giving Vanessa and Celina fourth place and Tim Sr and Tim Jr fifth.
And here's where it gets interesting, the "Hippies" decide not to use their Express Pass and instead choose to build a raft. After all, this is what they do, how hard can it be. Obviously harder than they thought. While they were busy building their raft, Cory and Jody cut the log, threw the axe, and grabbed their nuggets. This had been a long leg for all teams and there was a lot of running involved and that stress was slowing Jody down with the added weight of his pack on his carbon-fiber legs but rather than complain about it his brother Cory just took his pack and they kept on running. I'm not sure my brother would do the same but you never know. They manage to make it through the Carcross Desert to arrive as number six.
Being a firm believer in karma (as is my future race mate Wayne) I find it only fitting that the Express Pass the "Hippies" gave to the "Sisters" and their own pride in themselves and their abilities making them decide not to use their own Express Pass led to Darren and Kristen being the last team to the mat and unfortunately eliminated. They took it well and as they walked off into the sunset together they seemed to be considering a change of locale. Hope they bring a shovel.
Next week the teams head down south to the booming metropolis of Regina, Saskatchewan where they get involved with the RCMP and the Roughriders. Hopefully not in the same task. See you there.